Generous, charitable that's our winemakers

I think I've cracked why it's so hard to make money in the wine industry. Sure, the impact of the global recession combined with chronic oversupply won't be helping matters, but at the crux of it all is that our winemakers are just too darn generous and charitable for their own good. They're constantly giving away wine and money.
But I love this business because it's made up of people who care. The wine industry rallied to raise money to assist the Red Cross in its efforts to rehabilitate Christchurch with a group of Hawke's Bay wineries organising a special charity dinner and auction at Craggy Range. Elephant Hill, Black Barn, Vidal's and Craggy Range donated incredible wines which were auctioned at a $150-each dinner.
The Donaldson family (Pegasus Bay and Main Divide) pledged $1 for every bottle of Pegasus Bay and Main Divide sold before May 31.
They are hoping to donate $25,000 and the wines are available at wine stores and supermarkets nationwide or via www.pegasusbay.com
But efforts don't stop at earthquakes. Wine companies have been giving a bunch for eons.
Certainly, Cranford Hospice in Hawke's Bay would not have survived were it not for the annual Cranford Hospice charity wine auction. It is in its 19th year, making it the oldest auction of its kind in New Zealand.
Specially selected and exclusive wine lots are crafted by Hawke's Bay winemakers for the annual auction and more than $2 million has been raised for the hospice.
This amazing event is being held on Queens Birthday Weekend, June 4, and just 300 tickets are available, so book your tickets, your hotel and your taxi now at www.charitywineauction.co.nz
The team at Sirens Wines is so keen to put an end to prostate cancer - a disease which kills more than 600 men in this country every year - that it has created the Mackenzie's Pardon range of wines, where 15 per cent of every bottle sold goes directly to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. www.mackenziespardon.co.nz
Money is being poured directly back into the ground by the likes of Grove Mill, devoting resources to restoring the natural wetlands that surround the winery to encourage proliferation of southern bell frogs and Martinborough's Ata Rangi producing a pinot noir called Crimson, the proceeds of which go directly to provide needed dollars for tree-planting projects.
Project Crimson executive director Bridget Abernethy says: "The most high profile and immediate of these is the establishment this season of 1500 northern rata trees on the Tinakori Hills which form the dramatic backdrop to the harbour city of Wellington." www.projectcrimson.org.nz
The folk at Palliser Estate managed to convince the accountant that investing in the Onoke Spit Ecological Restoration Programme was a good idea.
Onoke Spit is the bar that forms Lake Onoke, where the Ruamahunga River enters Palliser Bay.
Onoke falls between the Pencarrow heads to the south and Palliser Bay to the north - the two labels of Palliser Estate. Its 60ha host some rare and threatened species, including the black-fronted tern, caspian tern, sand tussock, pingao, and sand daphne.
Palliser's annual sponsorship will be used to help with vegetation restoration and pest control.
Animals and art also benefit, with Waimea's deliciously affordable and dangerously drinkable Spinyback wines being created to help raise funds to save the tuatara.
And where would we be without Montana's Wearable Art Awards each year?
Our athletes haven't been left out either. Waiheke Island winery Destiny Bay is getting behind Miranda Powrie's Olympic sailing bid by donating a bottle of one of their top wines to each person who pledges $100 or more to help Miranda train for the 2012 Olympics.
Every donor will receive a complimentary bottle of Destiny Bay's 2006 Destinae, a blend of 46 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 22 per cent merlot, 16 per cent cabernet franc and 16 per cent malbec.
This wine is attracting praise from critics around the globe.
"Miranda represents the determination, grit and passion for her sport that is an inspiration to us all, and we wanted to find a way that all of us could help her achieve her Olympic dream," says Brett Taylor, of Destiny Bay.
Miranda needs support to participate in key regattas in France, Holland, England, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth in December.
Costs for travel, accommodation, sails, insurance and shipping are substantial.
"We need at least 300 donors to raise enough money to help Miranda train so she can represent New Zealand in London in 2012," Taylor says.
"We hope both the opportunity to help one of our women sailing athletes, and enjoy a highly praised bottle of New Zealand artisan wine, will encourage enough people to step forward and help out."
Those interested in donating can sign up can call Brett Taylor at +64-21-527-380 or visit http://www.mirandapowrie.com